tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.comments2011-03-05T15:46:43.582-08:00Andrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02905550115662396051noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-3545465494803634012011-03-05T15:46:43.582-08:002011-03-05T15:46:43.582-08:00http://cantantesdelaweb.blogspot.comranceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11676497002356169078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-13066560887354308082010-12-07T12:31:13.743-08:002010-12-07T12:31:13.743-08:00Hi Christian<br /><br />I appreciate your response and the questions you raised. I enjoyed your article, and while you did not mention fair trade yourself, I believe that some of the points you made apply to fair trade and the connection between it and the local food movement. You are correct in taking issue with the last paragraph of the article- I realize that you were speaking specifically about Rainforest Alliance and not Fair Trade. I will change that sentence right now. <br /><br />My overall point though is that consumer-based and market driven approaches can apply to both local and international contexts. I did not try to summarize your article, I took several points and applied them to a different context. I apologize if they were misconstrued.Drehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02905550115662396051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-42222486166086589822010-12-07T10:10:53.524-08:002010-12-07T10:10:53.524-08:00I find it interesting to see my article “Ghana must grow more sustainable food” published by modernghana.com (http://www.modernghana.com/news/306919/1/ghana-must-grow-more-sustainable-food.html) on December 3, 2010 extensively quoted in your blog posting. I do not entirely agree with your prescriptions and arguments though.<br />I find it particularly uncomfortable and quite difficult to understand how my article could be summarised in such an incorrect way as your article seems to have done. I feel this is a calculated attempt to take the argument in the direction of Fair Trade, which is not even mentioned in my article. I did acknowledge that many certification labels do exist in the market but I did not prescribe Fair Trade as the solution for Ghanaian farmers.<br />In my article, I emphasized the power of consumers to lead the campaign in Ghana for growing more sustainable food. I stressed that “...we need to focus on our consumers, rather than retailers and businesses, if we would be successful with our campaign to grow more sustainable food. Consumers should lead by buying &quot;greener&quot; food, wasting less and growing more of their own.” <br />I find it quite misleading to attempt to misdirect and win the argument for Fair Trade when it was clear in my article that I only highlighted the Rainforest Alliance as an example of a label that consumers are asking for these days: “Consumers of chocolate are increasingly asking for Rainforest Alliance and other voluntary labels on their chocolate bars. These labels give the customers the guarantee that the cocoa beans which are used to make their chocolate are sustainably sourced and that in the origin countries like Ghana, biodiversity is conserved and sustainable livelihoods are ensured. We cannot run away from the power of the market to change behaviour.” Indeed of the many certification labels in cocoa, it is only the Rainforest Alliance that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods.Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961188142377980652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-41931904649943738692010-04-27T23:23:26.688-07:002010-04-27T23:23:26.688-07:00word up! check out more info at facebook.com/fairtradecertified and twitter.com/fairtradeusaDrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02905550115662396051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-58426781726492688172010-04-27T13:48:41.829-07:002010-04-27T13:48:41.829-07:00Thanks for posting this article...I think it&#39;s really important to draw attention both to human rights issues in tea production (and in general), and also to highlight what sorts of solutions are being implemented.<br /><br />Fair trade is complex and isn&#39;t an instant solution (see <a href="http://ratetea.net/topic/fair-trade-tea/12/" rel="nofollow">the article I&#39;ve been working on on fair trade on RateTea.net</a>) but I&#39;m convinced that it&#39;s a step in the right direction--and Rishi in particular has been going above and beyond what TransFair certification alone does...and I think this is awesome.<br /><br />The more people talk and write about this, the more positive change will happen!Alex Zorachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08335878680429494039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-76787473870857124662009-10-15T14:33:39.820-07:002009-10-15T14:33:39.820-07:00That said, &#39;Go Niners.&#39;Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10695823562317125787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-39663543202118023022009-10-15T14:33:27.170-07:002009-10-15T14:33:27.170-07:00The idea of playing no-helmet football is actually interesting. Also, we use weight requirements at the Pop Warner levels to avoid injury (and balance competition), so why wouldn&#39;t that carry into the higher levels? They&#39;re interesting ideas.<br /><br />Football, as we know it now, is a disgusting business run by crooks. Just look at the Yorks.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10695823562317125787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-50071136722117933132009-06-21T14:44:56.493-07:002009-06-21T14:44:56.493-07:00Good points, I like the lubricant phraseology. As for the neocon business, his rhetoric is expansionist and imperial (esp. vis a vis Israel), even though his position doesn&#39;t allow for action, especially now. The Ayatollahs hold sway over foreign policy and are undeniably protectionist, even more so in the years since the Iran-Iraq war.Drehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02905550115662396051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-82748952701425477982009-06-20T17:05:35.005-07:002009-06-20T17:05:35.005-07:00ah, &quot;rose to power&quot;-- gotcha. Not referring to ahmad.Ben Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03676575432342514767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-31592598204039776772009-06-20T17:04:38.450-07:002009-06-20T17:04:38.450-07:00Interesting Stuff Dre. Although I think Obama was more of a &quot;lubricant&quot; for the movements we&#39;re saying over there today, rather than a catalyst. <br /><br />I don&#39;t know if I&#39;d call Ahmadjin. a neocon-- more of a protectionist if anything.Ben Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03676575432342514767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-84216299374221155932009-06-09T18:07:12.774-07:002009-06-09T18:07:12.774-07:00I do definitely agree that the western press has been very lazy in its assessment in recent political developments in Thailand, but I partially disagree with your analysis. This conflict is not really about corruption or Thaksin&#39;s &quot;corporatism&quot; but rather a demonstration of elite backlash against Thaksin&#39;s bureaucratic reforms. I agree that Thaksin was greatly occupied with the furthering of his own power, had an abysmal human rights record, and was hardly the &quot;savior of the poor&quot; he gained popular support as, but I think that his policies aimed at taking power and resources away from entrenched bureaucracies and putting them under political control were what ultimately led to the 2006 coup. It is lamentable that such an otherwise scumbag politician was the one who initiated these much-needed bureaucracy reforms, because the bureaucratic elite has been the single biggest obstacle in Thailand&#39;s democratic progress since 1932. The victory of the PAD ensures the continuation of more of the same politically in Thailand for some time to come.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-52931758864228283302009-04-20T09:43:00.000-07:002009-04-20T09:43:00.000-07:00Amazing to read a western journo that actually understands a little about the situation here. Reporting has been so shallow and off base elsewhere. Keep up the good work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-69150478746630425842009-04-13T22:41:00.000-07:002009-04-13T22:41:00.000-07:00nice summary, but guess the remark with the elephant in the room, is not accurate and nice, for all the positive things the king did for this country. If I were u I would consider to remove that faux-pas on your other-wise well and correct written summary. Also for other reason, which could concern your own next trip to thailand.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-82973425441248198062009-04-13T22:40:00.000-07:002009-04-13T22:40:00.000-07:00nice summar, but guess the remark with the elephant in the room, is not accurate and nice, for all the positiv things the king did for this country. If I were u I would consider to ommit that faux-pas on your other-wise well and correct written summary.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-90205844482530062982009-03-13T02:03:00.000-07:002009-03-13T02:03:00.000-07:00A couple of thoughts:<BR/>Hip Hop is too diverse to not break the list down into these four categories.<BR/>Imagine if B.I.G. had a full career, where he made three times as many albums as he did while he was alive and actually had some meaningful lyrics. That's Pac.<BR/>Jay-Z has had some memorable work, but 75% of what he has put out during his career has been bubblegum pop drivel.<BR/>Dre is responsible for bringing Eazy, Cube, Snoop, Pac, 50, Em and countless others into the national consciousness. His influence is unquestioned.<BR/>My definition of "top" takes into account how influential each artist or group has been. Big Daddy Kane invented swagger. NWA invented gangsta rap. You can hear Dilla drums in almost every beat put out today.<BR/>Beastie Boys deserve an honorable mention for the rap group category. Their influence was unparalleled but skills lacking relative to the winners.<BR/>Zion I deserve an honorable mention for the underground.<BR/>Weezy has a good chance to be number 2 on the list of greatest MC's of all time in five years.<BR/>"Resurrection" by Common Sense is the single greatest hip hop album of all time. Hands down.Drehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02905550115662396051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-65192408880704471252009-03-06T21:50:00.000-08:002009-03-06T21:50:00.000-08:00Oooh tho watchu know about that exactly 12 hours after response...Turn forward your clocks on saturday night.Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01606430243432743205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-32809677834942451032009-03-06T21:49:00.000-08:002009-03-06T21:49:00.000-08:00This blog is not a place for free equilib whorides. This needs to stop...Plus Nate, that track hasn't been released so noone could have known that yet.Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01606430243432743205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-32078977151378371102009-03-06T09:49:00.000-08:002009-03-06T09:49:00.000-08:00I'm pretty sure Equilib is the best duo in the game. I mean they declare as much in one of their songs.Sligghttp://www.myspace.com/sliggitaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-62351733585149353232009-02-03T13:31:00.000-08:002009-02-03T13:31:00.000-08:00Not sure how I feel about being linked through ayytho. That's lightweight like being compared to Talib Kweli. But I do appreciate the link cuz cuz.Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01606430243432743205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-85554801682525963062009-02-03T13:29:00.000-08:002009-02-03T13:29:00.000-08:00This track slaps...by the way did you know you can now track where people are through their cell phones. go to phonetrace.org, it's a ridiculous website.Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01606430243432743205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-76089031544738712282009-01-31T18:55:00.000-08:002009-01-31T18:55:00.000-08:00nah nah no whoride...Slig is on that ootho tip, while Equilib is way more on that aytho tip.<BR/>and yes, for the last three days i've worn the same socksDrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02905550115662396051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392974685222256173.post-44060681058324155332009-01-28T15:56:00.000-08:002009-01-28T15:56:00.000-08:00yessssssss!<BR/>damn, is that a whoride of equilib?<BR/>by the way, how shlocked must you be...Sliggitayhttp://www.myspace.com/sliggitaynoreply@blogger.com